Holder device



April 24, 1956 R. o. WILLIAMS HOLDER DEVICE Filed April 4, 1955 Jfintor:

Robert 0. Z'Uz'llz'anw United States Patent HOLDER DEVICE Robert 0. Williams, Chicago, Ill., assignor to F, B. Williams Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of iiiinois Application April 4, 1955, Serial No. 499,066

Claims. (Cl. 224-45) This invention relates to a novel holder device.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a device adapted to facilitate the carrying of a pair of receptacles provided with bails, such as, for example, but without limitation, a pair of paint cans.

The device of the present invention is characterized by its unitary character, novelty, and rigidity of construction, and utility for the indicated purpose whereby the bails of two receptacles may be engaged and retained in crossed or overlying relationship of one with the other, and with the device, to provide a novelinterengaged supporting arrangement whereby a pair of receptacles, and their contents, may be securely and conveniently carried in the hand in a unitary manner.

The objects and advantages of the present invention will be further apparent from a considerationof the following specification and accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view illustrating a pair of receptacles engaged by means of their bails with a device of the present invention in operative association.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the assembly of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the device; and

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral generally indicates the device of the present invention stamped, shaped or molded from a strip of rigid material, such as metal, plastic or a fibrous composition, preferably to trough shape, so as to provide an underside 11, preferably arcuate, adapted for smooth reception in the hand,

and two terminal, spaced, upstanding edge portions 12. It will be understood that although the drawings illustrate a trough shape with the resulting spaced upstanding edge portions 12 for the purpose of economy of materials and rigidity of construction, as a nonfully equivalent alternative my device may be formed of a unit of single thickness such as wire or fiat stock. It will be noted that, although not part of the present invention and not essential thereto, the unit may comprise a can or bottle or other opener provided with end portions 13 and 14 for such purpose.

In accordance with the illustrated embodiment of my invention, mediallyof each of the upstanding edge portions 12 I form a pair of upwardly opening spaced slots 15 separated by an upstanding spacer such as, for example, the substantially T-shaped member 16, for temp tion respectively of the bails 17 of the receptacles 18. The width of the slots 15 between the T-member 16 is preferably just adequate to snugly receive the bail 17, and

as shown in Pig. 3, the terminal ends of the T-member 16 preferably are inclined downwardly either angularly or arcuately, and in the latter case may also turn slightly inwardly to the shank of the T, so as to prevent accidental displacement of the device from the bails when the receptacles are placed at rest on a support, the contour of the slots 15 being complementary to that of the upstanding spacer 16.

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In operative use, the pair of bails 17 are crossed, so that in the illustration, the bail of the canon the left is first inserted in the slot 15 on the right of the device 10, and then the bail of the can on the right is inserted in the left slot 15, so that the bails are disposed in crossed relationship. With the receptacles or cans 18 fully or'partially filled, on lifting the two cans by gripping device 10 onits underside their weight tends to urge the bails against the upstanding spacer or shank of the T-member 16. At the same time the arcuate, flexible bails become pressed together in a spring-like manner due to the stresses and tension exerted in opposite directions by the weight of the contents of the containers, and the two containers are urged together in abutting relationship, so as to securely hold the assembly and permit hand portability of a pair of containers without spilling or splashing of liquid content, even though the containers be open.

Although I have shown and describedthe preferred embodiment of my device, it will be understood that changes may be made in the details thereof without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A device for holding a pair of receptacles having bails, comprising a trough-shaped rigid strip including a pair of spaced longitudinally extending upstanding edge portions each formed substantially medially with a pair of spaced upwardly opening slots defining between them a divider, the width of the slots being substantially the diameter of the bails to be received, the divider forming an abutment when the bails of a pair of receptacles are inserted in a crossed mannen 2. A device for holding a pair of receptacles having bails, comprising a trough-shaped rigid strip including a pair of spaced longitudinally extending upstanding edge portions each formed substantially medially with a pair of spaced upwardly opening slots defining between them a substantially T-shaped divider, the width of the slots being substantially the diameter of the bails to be received, the shank of the T forming an abutment when the bails of a pair of receptacles are inserted in a crossed manner, and the head of the T forming a stop member to prevent the device from dropping from engaged association with a pair of crossed bails.

3. 'A device for suspending and transporting a pair of receptacles having associated bails and for receiving and engaging said bails in crossed relationship to each other, comprising an elongated rigid unit of substantially U- shape to provide an arcuate base receivable in the hand and a pair of substantially parallel longitudinally extending upstanding edge portions, said edge portions being each formed with a pair of upwardly opening slots having a width substantially that of the diameter of the respective balls of said receptacles and adapted for their snug reception, said slots being longitudinally spaced and their adjacent edges defined by a substantially T-shaped divider member.

4. A device for suspending and transporting a pair of receptacles having associated bails and for receiving and engaging said bails in crossed relationship to each other, comprising an elongated rigid metal strip transversely bent to substantially U-shape to provide an arcuate base receivable in the hand and a pair of substantially parallel longitudinally extending upstanding edge portions, said edge portions being each formed with a pair of upwardly opening slots having a width substantially that of the diameter of the respective bails of said receptacles and adapted for their snug reception, said slots being spaced and their adjacent edges defined by a substantially T- shaped divider member, the terminal components of the crosshead of said T-shaped member being inclined downwardly.

5. A device for suspending and transporting a pair of receptacles. having associated bails and for receiving and engaging said bails in crossed relationship to each other, q ti c ae 9. @PfiFQFlEliWQi t tz t an ient y b 9 sah taa ial Qr ham. QP QY d an a va e a e r ei a lai bani? and wai of ubs a t all Pa l a iet attet ns ia ed q we id ed e P9 @2 asin s t hs a med h a Pai Q ;P F .Y v in slots having a width suhstantially thatof the diameten of the respective bails of said receptacles and adapted for their sring re cep tiqg, sil gi- 819$, being spaced and their adjacent edges defined by a substantially T-shaped divider member, the terminal components of the cross-head of said T-shapccl member being arcuately inclined downwardly and then inwardly toward each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED PATENTS D. 137,712 Miano Apr. 18, 1944 1,498,247 Stewart June 17, 1924 1,512,053 Ridlinghafer Oct. 21, 1924 2,007,039 Dickson July 2, 1938 

